Surgical correction for lower lid epiblepharon in Asians

Background/aims-Epiblepharon is a congenital lid anomaly in which a fold of skin and underlying orbicularis muscle push the lashes against the eyeball . It is important to get a good lash eversion effect without forming a prom inent lid crease in Asian patients. The surgical effect of this rotating su ture technique was evaluated. Methods-Surgical correction for epiblepharon was performed on 197 patients and the results analysed in 169 patients who had been followed for 1 month or more. After subciliary incision, several buried 8-0 nylon sutures were p laced to allow adhesion between the tarsal plate and the subcutaneous tissu e of the upper skin flap with minimal resection of pretarsal orbicularis an d redundant skin. Results-156 patients (92.3%) showed satisfactory results during 7.1 months of average follow up. Reoperation was performed only on two patients out of 13 because of mildness of symptoms and signs. Complications were minimal i ncluding suture abscesses in four patients and wound dehiscence in one. Conclusion-The rotating suture technique was very effective in repairing ep iblepharon without forming a prominent lower eyelid crease.